Innovative Projects Realized

Cognitive Powertrain and Metaveillogrammetric sensing for transportation

There is massive growth in the area of smart cities (e.g. sensors in streetlights), smart cars, and “smart people” (sensors on people, e.g. wearable computing). In some cities like San Diego, there are cameras and microphones in nearly every streetlight in the downtown core area. Most cars made now have one or more cameras in them, and numerous other kinds of sensors are being invented. These sensors are important regarding autonomous vehicles as well as technologies for extended human intelligence and safety. We will research sensing and metasensing (the sensing of sensing) and develop new forms of sensing (camera-based sensing as well as phasecoherent sensing with active vision like sonar, and other sensors), and meta-sensing. Whereas there exists a large body of research on quantification of physical quantities like sound and light (e.g. illumination standards), the quantification of sensing has not been explored to the same degree.

Cognitive Radio for Multimedia Traffic in Wireless Mesh Networks

In a cognitive wireless mesh network, licensed users (PUs) may borrow surplus spectrum from

other PUs and rent them to unlicensed users (SUs) for getting some revenue. For such spectrum

sharing paradigm, maximizing the revenue is the key objective of the PUs, while that of the SUs

is to meet their requirements and getting a good quality of service from the rented spectrum. PUs

exchange channels dynamically based on the availability of neighbor’s idle channels in a

cooperative manner in order to maximize PUs total revenue and utilize spectrum efficiently. We

need to develop a control policy that considers different requirements such as rewards for PUs,

wireless requirement (channel interference), the cost of spectrum renting and SUs satisfaction

(waiting time) and finds the optimal size and price of rented spectrum for each licensed user

under different radio environment conditions. Routing based on cognitive radio, power

management in wireless mesh networks, and spectrum pricing are other aspects that need to be…

British Columbia – A History

British Columbia – A History is a 4-part documentary television series and an interactive online historical timeline of the past 150+ years of BC history that will be comprised of interviews, archives and news research that will explore methods of historical recreation and knowledge production by incorporating an inclusive and multi-narrative approach to major historical events in the recent past and during the formation of the province, for Knowledge Network.

Through purposeful, deep archival and historical news research interns will learn how to scrutinize materials for an inclusive and pluralistic approach to dig up nuanced representations that fully represent our complex and interwoven cultural histories in Western Canada. Interns will also develop a comprehensive database design with easily searchable metatags, an easily designed interface of the web portal, written content and curation of pluralistic resources in each of the individual chapters of the episodes.

Caractérisation du vieillissement de l’isolation de masse de barresd’alternateur soumises à des décharges partielles d’encoche sous différentes contraintes

La fiabilité des alternateurs hydrauliques est un sujet d’importance pour les utilitaires afin

d’assurer la fiabilité de l’approvisionnement en énergie électrique. La maintenance de ces

équipements est donc un outil important dans la gestion et l’exploitation d’un parc

d’alternateurs. Après un certain nombre d’années de fonctionnement, l’usure de ces

equipements peut mener a I’apparition de decharges partielles entre I’isolation de masse des

bobines et Ie circuit magnetique. Le sujet de ce stage est plus specifiquement la mesure de

la tenue dielectrique residuelle ainsi que la dissection de chacun des sites vieillis par des

decharges partielles d’encoche sous des contraintes electriques, thermiques et mecaniques

Goaltender leg pad fit, responsiveness and performance

Sport equipment, particularly ice hockey goaltender equipment, development and advancement is due to professional player feedback, advances in material engineering and through following equipment rules and regulations. Often these advances occur at a faster pace than equipment evaluations, which results in a gap in the understanding of the effects that this equipment has on an athlete’s safety and performance. Therefore, the primary objective of this research is to test a new CCM stiff lightweight leg pad for fit, responsiveness and performance and compare those findings to CCM’s popular flexible leg pad model. A secondary objective of this research is to identify the ideal location for the elastic lower-leg strapping. This data will be collected using passive motion capture cameras to observe leg pad responsiveness and performance, and pressures sensors to quantify fit. The outcomes from this research will ensure CCM’s new stiff lightweight leg pad model is continuing to advance ice hockey goaltender safety and performance.

FÉMINISME(S) 2.0 ET TRAJECTOIRES MILITANTES : INTERSECTIONS DES VIOLENCES EN LIGNE ET HORS LIGNE

Le processus de cyberne?tisation des socie?te?s a modifie? de manie?re pre?gnante les structures communicationnelles, politiques, e?conomiques, culturelles et sociales, alors que le Web 2.0 a profonde?ment bouleverse? la nature et la porte?e des interactions sociales ainsi que les usages sociaux du cyberespace.

Les pratiques d’exposition en ligne comportent toutes un risque et un coût social pour les utilisateurs et utilisatrices en vertu des codes d’usage et des spécificités de cet espace de cybersocialisation. Par ailleurs, l’espace numérique est particulièrement violent pour certaines catégories d’actrices et d’acteurs sociaux de telle sorte que le Web 2.0 représente une « manopshère » particulièrement hostile aux discours féministes. Cette recherche s’intéresse aux violences en ligne qui sont dirigées contre les militantes féministes à partir d’une analyse intersectionnelle des cyberviolences. Cette recherche a deux principaux objectifs : 1) cartographier les cyberviolences contre les militantes féministes afin de les caractériser par rapport aux autres formes de violences en ligne et par rapport aux violences hors ligne envers les féministes ; 2) mesurer les conséquences de ces évènements violents sur les parcours des individus dans la sphère militante en ligne et hors lige.

Évaluation des écarts dans les résultats d’analyse du cycle de vie des bâtiments

L’utilisation des outils d’analyse du cycle de vie permet de réduire considérablement l’impact environnemental des bâtiments. À l’aide de ces résultats, les concepteurs peuvent améliorer la performance environnementale de leurs bâtiments. Toutefois, l’utilisation de ces outils dans le domaine est encore très peu répandue. Afin de faciliter leur adoption, plusieurs fournisseurs de logiciels proposent des alternatives pour les concepteurs et analystes. De récentes recherches démontrent une grande variabilité des résultats selon le logiciel choisi, ce qui diminue la confiance des décideurs en l’outil. Afin de pallier cette problématique, le projet analysera deux bâtiments de références à l’aide de cinq logiciels différents afin d’identifier les sources de disparité et les possibilités d’amélioration. Pour l’organisme partenaire, ces résultats permettront de sensibiliser les concepteurs sur l’importance du choix de logiciel et son influence sur les analyses.

Probiotics in pediatric neurodevelopmental disorders

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a kind of chronic neurodevelopmental disorders that detrimentally affect the behavior and development in children. There is a tight need for efficient treatment. Scientific evidences have shown that the gut microbiota as well as their metabolites may mediate the responsiveness to changes in diet (e.g. ketogenic diet). However, clinically relevant application of microbiota-targeted treatment is limited. Herein, the project aims to test the neurobehavioral and neurometabolic consequences of probiotic using a mice model of ASD. In collaboration with the leading expert in probiotic industry, Lallemand Health Solutions, this project will hopefully identify key probiotic species that contribute to autism treatment and accelerate the development of industry-level probiotic product for clinical practice

Exploring the economic impacts of Human-Centered Design in the context of a non profit organization

This exploratory research will seek to answer the primary question generally asked by many industry professionals- “how to evaluate the economic assessment of projects (using Human Centered Design (HCD) philosophy)”. This research will explore how to create an ROI/cost benefit analysis tool to measure economic impacts of the specific type of projects. This report will highlight the associated challenges and current industry best practices to better understand the framework development. This report will also discuss about different prospective use cases of the tool, so that the client can start using it for multiple purposes (i.e. to evaluate projects, fund raising, benchmarking of a partially completed project, audit a project’s feasibility etc.).

Analyse de la stabilité des ouvertures souterraines à l’aide de la modélisation des systèmesde fractures: le cas de la Mine Raglan.

L’objectif principal de ce projet de recherche est de quantifier la probabilité d’occurrence de

dièdres rocheux critiques aux parois des excavations minières souterraines de la mine

Raglan à l’aide de la modélisation des systèmes de fractures. Le stage industriel permettra

d’utiliser et valider des codes de recherche sur des cas d’étude en milieu industriel, il

permettra d’améliorer notre compréhension des réalités géomécaniques propres à ce site

minier et il permettra d’optimiser la conception des excavations souterraines.

Les avantages pour Raglan sont nombreux et variés. Dans un premier temps les géologues,

ingénieurs géologues et ingénieurs miniers impliqués dans le projet pourront bénéficier de

l’expertise du candidat. Les travaux réalisés par le candidat seront directement liés aux

travaux en cours en entreprise. Ces travaux donneront un éclairage nouveau aux pratiques

usuelles de la compagnie.

Pipeline defect matching based on data from consecutive in-line inspections

The integrity of energy pipelines is managed using information obtained from in-line inspections, which are periodically performed non-destructive inspections of the pipe wall to detect and size defects like corrosion, cracks, and dents. The coordinate systems for referencing the locations of the detected defects varies from inspection to inspection. It is therefore necessary to align the coordinate systems and to identify the defects that belong together. This process is referred to as defect matching, which is often time intensive and prone to errors as it is performed manually. The matched defects are used to determine their growth rates and safe remaining lifetimes of the defects.
The objective of the project is to develop a model for the automated matching of defects detected by in-line inspections. The matching problem will be formulated as an optimization problem where the objective function depends on the distance and overlap of the defects. The outcomes of the research project will enable Cenozon to develop an advanced software tool for the integrity management of pipelines using ILI data.

Development of a microfluidic point-of-care diagnostic device for the discrimination between viral and bacterial infections as a means to reduce antibiotic resistance

The discrimination between viral and bacterial infections has long been a goal in the field of point-of-care (PoC) diagnostics. Such a diagnostic tool would prevent the over-prescription of antibiotics, a leading cause of antimicrobial resistance. Current standard methods involve sending patient samples (throat swabs, blood, urine) to specialized clinical labs. This usually involves expensive and time-consuming protein biomarker assays to identify the cause of infection. However, this technique suffers from poor specificity and sensitivity, and does not provide a measure of antimicrobial susceptibility in the event of a bacterial infection. The herein proposed PoC device leverages new advances in DNA amplification technologies to provide a rapid, facile and non-expensive method of bacterial/viral discrimination through genetic target identification, without the need for benchtop instrumentation. This is accomplished employing a flocculation assay coupled with magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs). Briefly, a novel DNA amplification technology (namely LAMP) is performed along with MNPs functionalized with biomolecular probes against the target. As the target’s genetic material gets amplify, MNPs become incorporated in it, resulting in MNP agglutination. When magnetic capture is performed, the MNPs align forming a distinct strip pattern indicating a positive signal. In the absence of assemblies, MNPs remain dispersed, indicating a negative signal.